The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-07
Southern Sentiment.

The Courier journal published on July
4 letters and dispatches, which it had solic-
tied, from Southern men prominent in
politics, showing the present political sentl-
ment of the people of their respective
States. They are very interesting reading,
and prove that in the South loyalty to the
| Union and constitution is strong; that the
pride in the country's prosperity and great
ness is as marked as it is in any other sec
ton, and that should it become necessary to
| repel a foreign foe Southerners would he
among the staunchest supporters of the flag.
! A few extracts from the dispatches and
! letters may not be uninteresting. Senator
Brown of this State said: THAT the Stars
and Stripes may continue from generation
, to generation to wave over n great, prosper
Gus and united people is | believe, the ear
nest wish of the inhabitants Of all the States.
Senator Morgan, of Alabama said: 81
! think that our people, having no present or
prospective ground Of complaint toward the
government, are. restored TO their love OF
the Union and the Constitution, and are for
titled in the faith that they will yield richer
blessings to generations that will follow us
than we or our fathers have enjoyed Sen
atOr Eustis, of Louisiana, said: 1.-THE senti-
ment to-day in the South of devotion to the
Union is stronger than it has ever been since
the foundation of the government Gov.
Hughes, of Arkansas, said; 'We have
long since recognized in Arkansas that the
war is over; that fraternal union and peace
are of more value than keeping alive the
unkind feelings and bitterness growing out
of the war. The periodical revival of I'M
pleasant "reminiscences and the recollections
of the bitter consequences of our late I'M
happy struggle can, in our opinion, serve no
good purpose We look to the future more
bright with promise, for the rehabilitation,
development and Improvement of our whole
country, to which we are devotedly at
tached"
Gov. Perry, of Florida, said: "The loyalty
of the Southern people, whose nature and
training incline them to prefer principle to
policy, and honor TO profit is of sterner
stuff than elf-interest, and will prove her
staunchest stay should storm aSsail our ship
of State"
Gov. Lee, of Virginia, after referring to
Virginias withdrawal from the Union and
the pride which every Virginian felt in the
courage and herosm displayed by her troops
in defense of her construction of the Federal
constitution, said: The sword decided the
question against her, and to-day she is not
retiring into a corner to indulge in dumps,
but is industriously devoting herself to the
development of her great resources, and to
doing her share as co-equal American
State toward the peace, happiness and pros
perity of the whole country"
These few selections express the sentiment
of the South The Southern people are at
tached to the Union and constitution, are
loyal to the flag and are proud of the
countrys growing greatness. They silently
acquiesce in the fact that the issues of the
war were decided against them. They re-
gard those issues as dead, and of no further
importance in connection with the present.
They do not seek to revive them in any
shape, and they do not admit that they were
in the wrong with regard to them
There are those who doubt that the South
is sincere in her expressions of loyalty to the
Union and of a desire for fraternal feeling
because she does not acknowledge that the
cause for which she fought was wrong, and
they seem surprised when the attempt to
force such an acknowledgment is resented
They refuse to be satisfied with the South's
acceptance of the situation in good faith
and demand confession of wrong doing.
That they will never get. When the at
tempts to convert the Southern people from
the convictions for which they sacrificed so
much cease-convictions which in no respect
Interfere with their devotion to the Union
to-day-then there will be no further excuse
to doubt the sincerity of the expressions of
loyalty of the Southern people